Pol – Florida Voter Purge

This has been one of the recent issues that has really left me scratching my head. It seems so wholly divorced from common sense, that it makes me wonder within what world Rick Scott believes he can do this without suffering considerably in the end.

To sum up the issue, Rick Scott, governor of Florida, has decided that months before an election is the best time to institute a massive cleansing of the voter rolls. Ostensibly to clear out those who are ineligible to vote. On the surface, a laudable goal. If you ignore the shoddy method they’re using to make their purge list, which makes use of poorly kept DMV records and places the burden of proof on the people rather than on the state to be careful and diligent.

In my opinion, it’s a pretty transparent attempt to tweak the political balance in the state. A state that has previously been pivotal to the presidential election. Florida has had years to tweak the voter roles. Plenty of time in which it could have carefully and surgically snipped away what few ineligible voters might be on registered. There is no need to do it now if it wasn’t an issue earlier in the year or late last year.

I have nothing against carefully maintaining government records. They could, I am sure, use more attention when it comes to making sure it is current and solid. But as usual, the various parts of our government are more interested in using their power to promote their agendas, rather than improve the country. And as the years have gone by this condition has grown worse on both sides of the aisle.

Now the federal government is telling Florida to stop. All 67 county election supervisors have decided they won’t institute any further removals from the rolls. And despite this, Rick Scott is intent to try and push forward. In general, the people seem split down ideological lines. As usual. And once more, it seems Florida is going to be the country’s laughing stock and is primed to make the coming election harder than it needs to be, unless the officials wise up.

At least the pundits and comedians will have material to work with.

Sources

Florida’s voter purge: Discriminatory?

Feds order Florida to halt voter purge

All 67 Florida Election Supervisors Suspend Governor Rick Scotts Voter Purge

Florida Stands Up to Holder, Will Keep Purging Bogus Voters